There are standards to which government, religion and higher education should be held. There are examples that politicians and principled businesspeople should endeavor to set, regardless of whether their peers are making that effort. There’s right and wrong, not just better or worse.

And there’s a word for recognizing and rising to that: leadership. We could use more of it. ~ NY Times, Weary of Relativity, May 23, 2015.

Share this:

Like this:

Related

Post navigation

45 thoughts on “Rising To Leadership”

The challenge is remembering “doing right” is by one’s own standard. One just hopes the other people around you don’t misinterpret. And the best way, as several commenters said earlier, is doing right so that other people benefit too.

Diana, I love your post, your quote, and your attitude. ❤ What a wonderful world this would be if we all kept "high standards" in word and deed. Each of us should never give up.
Blessings on your weekend ~ Wendy ❀
PS – Lovely daylilies. 🙂

Indeed they are! Important to me, and to my husband. We aspire to never cheat, never cut corners, never acting as if no one is looking (even when no one is looking). We don’t always achieve our aspirations, but we do try — and we hold each other accountable. I think that makes it easier, knowing that someone you are intimately close to, is holding the bar high (by mutual consensus).

Living and standing in our truth can be difficult. The more I do it, the more empowered I feel. I used to lower the bar only because I was worried about what others may think. It’s good to be who I want to be. Great post Diana. 🙂

“I want to do right, not just better than others.” That’s a way of life right there Diana. If I would be able to stop comparing and only focus on the right and wrong of what I do, and what I need vs what I want….I think I would be even happier than I am.

Diana, I guess I try and on some days I do okay but there is always room for improvement and its okay to accept we are only human. As long as we do the best we can with what we have inside us. No one is perfect and no one has all the answers either.

Only extremely and critically. I’ve lived my life based on the premise that while perfection is an impossible goal, it’s absolutely worth aiming for. It always seemed self-evident that if you aim for less, that’s the best you’ll ever get: less.

Jay-walking is the perfect place for me to test my resolve to live to my highest standards, or not. There are moments when I just want to cut across, not wait at the red light, etc. My head says…. there’s no traffic coming, the other person just did it. My higher self said, a just society requires you to uphold every law, Louise. Not just the one’s you pick and choose to uphold because it’s easy.

Great post Diana. I’ll have to go read the other post that inspired you!

I saw that piece on Live & Learn, Diana. It was profound. We really shouldn’t pick our leaders because they are the lesser of 2 evils.

I’ve been accused at times of being overly optimistic, even naive, but I hold myself and all those I care about to a higher standard. It seems to have benefited me for a lifetime. Have a great Sunday. 💕 Van

What a simple but powerful message! Sometimes messages like this at first seem obvious, but then when I check inside I come up with the question: “Then why don’t I live to this standard all of the time?”

While we may not lower the bar, we also may not set it an the right height. Think of finding $5 on the ground with no one around. Putting it in our pocket doesn’t lower the bar. Donating it to charity raises it to an honourable level.